With dozens of fast food options and pre-packaged food in the grocery store, it's easy to lose track of what it takes to have a healthy and balanced diet. What you put in your body is just as important, if not more so, than how much you exercise. Too much of specific nutrients can put your body at risk for certain medical conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.
Food Pyramid
The U.S. Department of Education has established the Food Pyramid to help the average person know how much of each food group to get in their daily diet for optimal nutrition. The USDA recommends each adult consume 6 oz of grains per day. That includes cereals, pastas and rice. At least half of your daily carbohydrate intake should come from whole grain sources. The USDA also recommends getting 2.5 cups of vegetables and 2 cups of fruit per day. The average person should aim for 3 cups of dairy per day from low-fat sources such as skim milk, low- or non-fat cottage cheese and yogurt. For protein, the USDA recommends consuming 5.5 oz of meat -- especially lean protein such as chicken or turkey breast and fish -- and beans.
Basic Daily Nutrients
Knowing what specific food groups to aim for is one step to a healthy diet, but making sure you're getting enough of some nutrients and not too much of others is another key to a healthy diet. That's why the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has established guidelines for the major nutrient groups and requires companies to list the amounts on food labels. For example, the FDA recommends getting no more than 65 g of fat per day on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. In addition, the average person should limit sodium intake to 2,400 mg and cholesterol to 300 mg per day.
Benefits
A healthy diet isn't just about losing weight, although that can be a side benefit. Your body needs the balance of nutrients, vitamins and minerals from a healthy diet to perform at its best. Limiting your saturated fat and sodium intake and increasing your fiber intake, for example, can reduce your risk for heart conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Limiting your carbohydrate intake can help reduce your risk for Type 2 diabetes.
Tips
Everyone's body is different, and the guidelines from the FDA and USDA are based on averages. That's why it's important to talk to your doctor -- or even a licensed nutritionist or dietitian -- to get a more accurate idea of what your daily diet should consist of. Carry a small notebook with you to keep track of the number of calories and the different food groups you consume during the day to make sure you're getting the right amounts.
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